Proposed Tower Site On Our Property

by Kim
(Richmond, VA, USA)

We are an all volunteer fire department who have been approached by a tower company to place a tower on our property. Our little .75 acre piece of agricultural land sits smack in the middle of three miles of residential properties. We actually reside in the middle of six neighborhoods.

The county provides us with rescue equipment and pays utilities. The building and property are our responsibility and we are 100% reliant on our neighbors to donate each year to help us maintain this property. We are 100% volunteer and we all have full time jobs elsewhere.

The tower company proposed a 154 ft monopole tower to be placed behind our building. They offered us $1000 a month. The guys at the station thought this was great. We are lucky to raise that amount in a year from events and our annual fund drive letter. However, being that I work for a company who does NEPA assessments for a cell phone company, I have concerns about our being low-balled, our being financially responsible for something or events that occur that could ruin us, and our relationships with our neighbors, which is what has kept us strong and independent for over 62 years.

I am in search of a knowledgeable consultant who has ours and our neighbors best interests in mind. Someone who can review the lease agreement and shoot me straight so that I can present some information to the guys and help them make an informed decision when we vote on this matter in the near future.

We need someone who will review the lease agreement and look for important things that might have been omitted, tell us if they could offer more on the rental, let us know if we can be additionally compensated for any carriers who use that tower in the future, make sure that the tower company is following the rules, and the biggie, Make sure that this isn't going to be something that is going to cost the department any money right now or in the future.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and God Bless!

Kim
-A Fire Station in VA-